The Reluctant Pioneer by Julie McDonald Zander ~ a book review

 

This book, based on a true story, takes us on a wagon train over the Oregon trail. Nicholas and his wife, Matilda, leave their farm in the Midwest to find and settle a new homestead in Oregon territory.  The trip consists of many hardships, illness, injury and adventure.  They see some of their fellow travelers die along the way, some loose heart and leave the train early.  Matilda is at first, reluctant to go. She fears for the safety of their four sons and her unborn baby. She doesn’t want to leave her family, who she thinks she will never see again. She is comforted by the fact that they are traveling with a nephew and his wife.  Their faith is very important to them and they rely on it to encourage themselves and other travelers. They cross raging rivers, mountain peaks and barren stretches but Nicholas never loses sight of his dream, even when personality clashes threaten the morale of the travelers.

This is an exciting story that you will not want to put down.  It will hold your interest until the end.

The publisher says this:

“Matilda Koontz cherishes her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her hardworking husband wants to claim free farmland in the Pacific Northwest. When he suggests selling the farm to trek two thousand miles across the Oregon Trail, she balks. 

But in the spring of 1847, Matilda and Nicholas Koontz and their sons embark on a grueling journey westward. Fresh graves testify to dangers of disease, accidents, starvation, and a multitude of hazards threatening her family and her beloved’s dream.

With new struggles at every turn, Matilda wonders how she can protect her sons on such a perilous journey. Will they reach the trail’s end? Will the babe growing inside her womb survive?

When tragedy strikes, the question changes: How can she possibly continue?

This pioneer woman’s journey is inspired by a true story.”

If you like historical tales based on actual events and people, you will not be disappointed.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher  via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

 

 

A View most Glorious by Regina Scott ~ a book review

I have read other books by this author and she never fails to impress me.  Her story lines are unique and always based on actual historical facts and events.  Her attention to detail is wonderful.  She describes things in a way that makes them very real. 

This book is about the first women mountain climbers and the women’s suffrage movement.  The heroine, Cora, is very involved in the suffrage movement.  The author does a great job of depicting her devotion to it while also reminding us of the social stipulations of the time.  Cora tries very hard to comply with the social standards that her mother holds so dear while still exerting her independence.

Her mother has determined that Cora should marry a man that will keep her in “the fashion she is accustomed to”.  Cora has a deep dislike of the man, so she makes a deal with her mother.  If she is able to climb Mt. Rainier to the summit and back down, her mother will drop her plans to marry her off. And as a bonus, there will be a lot of coverage and publicity for the suffrage movement.

This is where our hero comes in.  Nathan was a son of a once wealthy man and “in” society.  When the market crashed and banks failed in the late 1800’s, his father commits suicide and the family is disgraced.  Nathan leaves the city to become a climber and guide and lives in the wild.  He does not want to take Cora to the top but when he hears who her intended is, he changes his mind. The man Cora’s mother wants her to marry is the man that Nathan blames for his father’s downfall.

At times, I found myself becoming angry with Cora for not just telling her mother no! But, that wasn’t done in those days.  

This is from the publisher's website:

Reluctant socialite Coraline Baxter longs to live a life of significance and leave her mark on the world. When her local suffragette group asks her to climb Mount Rainier to raise awareness of their cause, she jumps at the chance, even though she has absolutely no climbing experience. If she can do it, any woman can do it. And after her mother issues an ultimatum--that Cora marry the man of her mother's choosing if she fails--Cora must do it. But she can't do it alone.

Noted mountain guide Nathan Hardee initially refuses to help Cora but has a change of heart when he sees what is at stake. He knows enough about the man Cora's mother has chosen to know that the headstrong young woman should have nothing to do with him, much less marry him.

These unlikely partners may just discover that only together is the view most glorious.

The author takes us on an exciting journey through history.  I’m not going to spoil the ending. You’ll have to read it yourself!  Does Cora climb the mountain?  Does she end up having to marry the scoundrel?  Do she and Nathan find love?

Go HERE to read an excerpt

I highly recommend this book.

Go HERE to learn more about Regina Scott and her other books

 

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”